Previously, the government had never specified the amount of alcohol that underage Britons of different ages could supposedly consume without harm. According to Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls, providing parents with recommendations should encourage a change in the 'drinking culture' - a shift from binge drinking to a more moderate culture typical of Continental Europe.
Other planned government measures include, in particular, establishing liability for parents who allow their offspring to drink alcohol in public places, and expanding police powers to curb teenage drinking.
Likely, legal sanctions for antisocial behavior will be applied to persons under 18 who are caught regularly drinking alcoholic beverages. In addition, the government will order bar and retail staff to require identification from any alcohol buyer who appears to be under 21.
According to official statistics, between 2001 and 2006 the proportion of regularly drinking Britons aged 11 to 15 fell from over 25% to about 20%. At the same time, a third of respondents in this age group admitted to having consumed alcohol 'with the intention of getting drunk'.
Furthermore, the average level of alcohol consumption among young people more than doubled from 1990 to 2006. According to other official data cited by Sky News, last May more than half of Britons aged 15 to 16 consumed alcohol in large quantities.
As Lenta.ru notes, the government's proposals have already been criticized by non-profit organizations and the opposition - both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. According to critics, Gordon Brown's cabinet should, in particular, pursue a tougher policy towards the alcohol industry and impose restrictions on alcohol advertising.